Senior Project Officer

The Office of the Council of Europe in Chisinau assists the authorities in fulfilling their membership commitments and obligations, supports legislative and other reforms, provides expertise in the Organisation’s fields of competence, develops effective training programmes or implements activities such as thematic campaigns.

You will be part of the team implementing the Project “” within the at the .

This 24-month project, which started in May 2024, aims to strengthen democratic governance in the Republic of Moldova through effective participation at national and local levels.

As a Senior Project Officer, you will:

• ensure and supervise the planning, organisation, implementation, and follow-up of project activities in accordance with the project work plan and in line with the Council of Europe's procedures and the Project Management Methodology (PMM), with a concern for quality, efficiency, accuracy, and confidentiality;
• design project activities and financial work plans and ensure close monitoring and follow-up of expenditures in accordance with the Council of Europe regulations and procedures and in co-operation with the Project Co-ordinator at the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance in Council of Europe Headquarters;
• ensure budget monitoring and the implementation of project related procurement procedures and verify the purchase files, draft contracts, deliverables, and payment documents; 
• prepare and draft documents in accordance with the quality and style requirements of the Council of Europe (e.g. progress, annual, and mission reports, terms of reference for various contractual engagements; briefings, speaking notes, official speeches, relevant meeting documentation and minutes etc.), including editing documents prepared by non-native speakers (in English/Romanian);
• establish and maintain good relations with project stakeholders and partners such as public authorities, civil society, donors, beneficiaries, and consultants; ensure regular co- ordination in consultation with all relevant partners and under the supervision of the Project Co-ordinator at the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance in Council of Europe Headquarters and the Head and Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau; 
• assist in the preparation of files and information for the internal and external evaluations and audits; 
• contribute to the efficient functioning of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau and regularly inform the Head of the Office and Deputy Head of Office about the implementation of the project and co-ordinate work within the broader framework of the overall activities of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau;
• monitor developments at national level (legal, policy, institutional) in the areas covered by the Project and keep the Project Co-ordinator, Head of Office, Deputy Head of Office and the project management at Headquarters regularly informed, including on project results, further needs and risks and opportunities for further interventions;
• undertake official journeys in connection with the project activities and contribute to the visibility of the project through participation in conferences, speeches, presentations etc.;
• ensure effective management and co-ordination of the work of the local project assistant and contribute to the smooth functioning of the work of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau; 
• give policy advice and support to the overall work of the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance; 
• carry out other tasks as required in connected to the efficient project implementation;
• promote Council of Europe values internally and externally.

You must:

• have a completed full course of general secondary education and appropriate professional qualifications;
• have a minimum of four years of relevant professional experience in the implementation of technical co-operation projects focusing on governance, civic participation, and/or participatory democracy, ideally in a management role;
• have an excellent knowledge of Romanian (first language level) and a very good knowledge of of one Council of Europe's official languages (English);
• be a citizen of the host country or one of the 46 member States of the Council of Europe and fulfil the conditions for appointment to the civil service of that state;
• be currently present in the Republic of Moldova;
• have discharged any obligation concerning national service (military, civil or comparable);
• not be the parent, child, stepchild or grandchild of a serving staff member of the Council of Europe;
• be under the age of 65 years.

Your application must demonstrate to what extent you have the competencies listed below. To help you doing so, feel free to consult our .

• Operational - Planning and work organisation
• Operational - Analysis and problem solving
• Operational - Drafting skills
• Operational - Results orientation
• Interpersonal - Teamwork and co-operation

• Professional and technical expertise:
  1. knowledge and understanding of governance structures at local, regional and central levels in the Republic of Moldova;
  2. knowledge of participatory mechanisms and civil society environment in the Republic of Moldova;
  3. sound knowledge of project management methodologies and practices;
  4. knowledge of Council of Europe and international standards related to civic participation and governance;
  5. sound computer skills and experience in using standard tools in office applications (word processing, presentations, outlook, spreadsheets, databases, internet publications).

• Operational - Concern for quality
• Interpersonal - Relationship building
• Interpersonal - Initiative

• Professional and technical expertise:
  1. higher education degree in political or social sciences, law, international relations or a related field;
  2. experience in civic society organisations or public/private sector institutions working in relevant fields;
  3. specific knowledge of and experience with Council of Europe standards and monitoring mechanisms in the field of civic participation, citizen engagement, youth engagement, good democratic governance;
  4. knowledge of local democracy standards and of the role of local and regional authorities and their associations in the multi-level governance system;
  5. knowledge of innovative forms and mechanisms of citizen participation;
  6. knowledge of Russian.

This job vacancy is for a local external recruitment based on temporary contracts. Employment is limited to 31 December of the current year and may be extended. You can consult the conditions of employment (salaries, allowances, pension scheme, social insurance etc.) on the webpage .

For more information on how we recruit, you can consult the page . This recruitment is carried out in accordance with . The deadline for applications is indicated in the General information section of this vacancy notice (see above) and is fixed at 23:59:59 (CET/CEST). When applying, make sure your motivation shows how your competencies make your profile the best for the role.

As an equal opportunity employer, the Council of Europe welcomes applications from all suitably qualified people, irrespective of sex, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic or social origin, disability, religion or belief. Under its equal opportunity policy, the Council of Europe is aiming to achieve gender parity in staff employed in each category and grade. At the time of appointment, preference between suitable people shall be given to the person of the gender which is under-represented in the relevant grades within the category to which the vacancy belongs.

Applicants with specific needs are encouraged to request reasonable accommodations at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact us at , we will ensure that your request is handled.

The information published on the CoE’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication of the vacancy notice. Any changes to these conditions during the recruitment process will be updated on our Portal and will apply at the time of the job offer. Our career's website is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have. Should you have remaining questions, please contact us at .